


Pieces of Home

by wishingstars



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: ...maybe, Dream Smp, I love them ok, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, SBI-centric, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, dream smp gods au, i just want them to be a slightly dysfunctional family okay, is that too much to ask, probably, sbi, sleepy bois inc - Freeform, we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29665581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishingstars/pseuds/wishingstars
Summary: The Crafted Gods were usually perfectly happy to stay out of the mortal's business unless called upon for help. However, when one of their demigods disappears without a trace or signal that he is alive other than the fact that Tubbo's compass has yet to break, they know that they must search the mortal world. Though originally fruitless, 15 years after Tommy disappeared the needle on Tubbo's compass finally moved. What will become of the demigod soon to unlock his godly powers who remembers almost nothing of The Crafted or L'Manberg?
Relationships: Mostly platonic relationships - Relationship
Comments: 10
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

Wilbur sighed as he kicked his legs off the cloud he sat upon, the little condensed molecules of water unaffected by his presence. They never were affected by any of the immortals; it was where they lived, after all. The gods and demigods sought refuge among the clouds, hiding away from the mortal eye without ever being too far away. Wilbur glanced back at the castle, the castle in which he lived with his father and brothers - no, _brother_. Singular. 

Tommy was gone, after all. 

Nobody was ever able to figure out what happened on that fateful day, not even Tubbo. Not Techno, not Phil. Not Wilbur, hell, not even Dream. The god of reality had spent weeks, if not months, helping Quackity sort through souls of the dead, trying to find their Tommy, and helping George sort through the world and nearby worlds all at the same time. The demigod who had blessed them all was missing, and they never located him. They never were able to bring back the boy who had given hope and happiness to each and every one of their souls the moment Techno had brought him into the palace. 

Wilbur blinked back tears as he remembered the searches, fruitless in the end. He glanced up at the stars, finding himself laughing to keep the sobs at bay. It had been how long now - 10 years? 20? He couldn't tell. He just knew that Tommy, his little brother, was gone.

Techno and Phil, along with most of the other gods, thought he was dead. Techno had accepted it after seven years of no contact, after seven years of Tommy ignoring their pleas and never requesting a blessing. Even if he was raised as a mortal, he would have been taught to worship the Crafted. It didn't matter where in the world he was; some worshipped the entire group as gods, while others only worshipped Dream or Phil. It didn't matter who was revered where and to what extent; there were still prayers that everyone knew. So why hadn't they heard from Tommy?

Wilbur was brought out of his trance as he heard footsteps approaching. They were still relatively far back - two hundred feet, if he had to guess - but he could detect them even from such a far distance. He was the god of sound, after all.

"Techno," Wilbur murmured once his brother was in earshot. 

"Wilbur," Techno hummed in response, keeping his usual monotone but adding an almost melancholy edge. He sat beside the brown-haired god, sighing as he looked down upon the earth they helped to rule. The two sat in silence for a moment, appreciating the other's warmth and presence as best they could. But something was missing; there always was. 

"I know you miss Theseus," Techno murmured. "We all do. But... I think it's time to let it go, Will." The god of war turned to look at the god of music, his eyes softened with sympathy. "We've searched everywhere; we even had Dream and George check some of the other realities. It will hurt less if you let him go, Wilbur. He's gone."

"No, he isn't," Wilbur replied desperately. "You know I'm right, Techno. You know it; the bond hasn't broken. You can still feel it; I know you can."

Techno was silent for another moment, mulling over his words. Wilbur stared at his brother, desperation filling his eyes. "You know he's alive, Tech. Fucking hell, Tubbo's compass hasn't broken yet. We know he's alive; we just have to find him."

"Where could he be, Wilbur?" Techno snapped. "We've looked everywhere, and we haven't gotten a plea from him. We haven't heard a single prayer; none of us. Not even Nikki or Fundy, despite being the gods who get the most worship from all over the world. He is gone, Wilbur. Let it go."

"No!" Wilbur yelled, his desperation melding into something more. "You know he's alive; you feel it through the bond. He was too young to ever learn how to use it, but we can still feel he's alive. Tech, please; you know I'm right."

"The bond doesn't mean anything significant," Techno replied. "It just represents that his soul is still intact. He was a demigod, Will; his soul can stay intact and conscious while he isn't."

"Tubbo's compass would have broken if he were dead," Wilbur pressed. "It was Quackity's blessing the day the two of them formed the Golden Bond."

"But where is he, Wilbur?" Techno asked once again. But instead of angry, he now just sounded upset. Hurt. _Desperate_. 

"I don't know," Wilbur whispered after a moment of silence. "We have no way of knowing. We can only do so much."

"We aren't all-seeing," Techno agreed softly. "We can't confirm or deny his status, but it would be easier for you to accept that he is dead and move on. As much as it will hurt at first, it will be easier."

"I can't, Tech," Wilbur replied. "I can't give up on him; I _can't_. You know that."

"I do," Techno replied, a solemn finality in his voice. "But while the compass has not shattered, the needle stopped moving many years ago."

"He could be in a comatose," Wilbur answered. "Or another dimension of some sorts. Or - fuck, I don't know, Techno, but he's not dead."

"But what if he is, Will?"

"He isn't dead, Technoblade. You know it just as much as Wilbur and I do."

The brothers turned to see Tubbo standing there, his brown eyes burning with his determination. He was clutching his compass close to his chest, partially hidden under his green robes. There was a hint of desperation behind the resolution, the flame burning brighter yet sadder all the same.

"Tubbo, how do you know?" 

"The needle moved."

Techno's eyes widened, seemingly frozen from the shock of hearing the words that the entire group of gods had been wanting to hear for years on end. Wilbur, however, was on his feet in an instant, walking over to Tubbo with wide eyes. "You better not be joking, Tubbo..."

"Would I ever joke about this?" Tubbo asked. "It moved. I came here as soon as I registered what happened; I knew you would need to hear the news first." _You would know the best course of action._

"Do you know where it will lead us?" Techno asked. _We'll go regardless_ , his eyes betrayed. 

"It doesn't matter," Tubbo declared, staring at the two taller gods in front of him. "Tommy is at the end."

~~~

"Tommy, get down from there."

The blond boy looked down, a grin splitting the 15-year-old boy's face. He was climbing a tree, getting higher and higher without anyone noticing. However, his elder brother, the man in charge, had finally seen him. "I'd rather not."

"Tommy," the man said, his voice gaining a threatening edge. "I said get down."

"And I said no," he replied, continuing to climb the tree. He smirked as he jumped off the branch he was on, grabbing onto another, taller tree and hoisting himself onto it. He looked down to see the brown-haired man's stricken face, smirking to himself as the man yelled up at him. "That was dangerous!"

"Danger is my middle name," Tommy replied confidently, smirking as he began to climb higher than he had previously. He heard shouting from below but ignored it; he knew it didn't really matter. He knew he'd be punished whether Tommy climbed down when his brother first asked or not; why not have a little fun while he was getting in trouble anyway?

He climbed for a little while longer before sitting on the highest branch he could and turning to look through the leaves. They were less dense up here, and he liked watching the sunset from so high above the ground. He couldn't hear anything but nature. The stars shone more brightly this high up and far into the forest. The light the village gave off was far enough away that each galaxy was relatively easy to find, so find them he did.

He faintly heard the sounds of shuffling below him, figuring his brother was going back into the house for the night as he often did. He didn't care; he'd either spend the night out here, happy in nature where he felt safest, or climb back through his window if it got too cold for him to handle comfortably without blankets. 

He smiled as he looked up at the clouds, stained shades of pink and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting hues of orange and yellow on the sky.

Tommy curled in on himself as the last bits of light cast by the sun faded, the moon rising to cast the forest in its ethereal silver glow. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable or cold; it just felt like something was missing. He often felt like that, but sometimes on nights like these, the emotions would become much more intense.

He reached into his pocket, taking out the compass that he hid there. He wasn't sure where it came from, and so he hid it. He could tell it was significant, though he wasn't sure why. _Your Tubbo_ was etched into the top, and he traced over the metal as he often did. What did it mean? He figured it was the name of someone, though he wasn't sure who. The needle had never moved; it was as if in the village, it was static. But he was happy here; he didn't want to run away just to satisfy his curiosity.

Right?

Each night it got harder and harder to resist the urge to leave everything he knew behind and run, run away to see where this compass took him. He knew there was something important. He knew that wherever it took him, it would make him feel complete. 

He glanced back into the village where he had spent the past 15 years of his life. He didn't have any sentimental attachment to anyone but his brother. Hell, he didn't even feel that close to his brother most of the time. And he often felt as if he was being alienated from the rest of the world. Why else would Vin go on missions outside the village but forbid Tommy from going even to the spruce forest?

It was the same thought every night. He knew how to fight; he was good at it, too. He was the one to defend the village alongside the Iron Golem when Vin wasn't around, and monsters spawned too close, and he often helped even when Vin was there.

Every night it got harder and harder to resist the urge to run away, run wherever the compass and the heavy feeling in his heart took him. He had armor and weapons, and he could get his own food. He'd be fine.

So he waited until the moon was halfway in the sky and climbed down the tree, climbing into his room. He grabbed the diamond armor that Vin had given him and the netherite sword that had been forged not long ago, as well as the backup diamond sword he had used for most of his life. He went down the stairs as quietly as he could, grabbing cans of beetroot soup and loaves of bread for the journey. Tommy grabbed a few bits of flint and steel, a handful of torches, and some coal. He debated taking a pickaxe of some sort, deciding to grab an old iron one that Vin had long abandoned. Tommy decided to only take a few healing potions with him but took a bottle of swiftness and leaping for the night. He was faster than most people anyway, but add the effects of the concoctions, and he would be far away by the time the village or his brother realized he was gone. 

He bid goodbye to his home as he walked into the forest, quickly beginning to run once he was sure the potions had taken full effect. He smiled as the cold wind blew at his cheeks, reveling in the feeling of being _free_. He continued to run through the trees as he saw the sun begin to rise above the horizon, signaling the beginning of a new day. He took out his compass, turning in circles to see if the needle moved. And moved it did. He grinned, following where it led to, knowing that wherever it leads, it mattered.

As he looked up to the cloud-dotted sky, he knew that a new chapter of his story had just begun.


	2. Chapter 2

"Which way does your compass point?"

Tubbo looked up at Techno, who had asked the question in his usual monotone drawl. The brunet grabbed his compass from his pocket, looking at the needle. "I'm facing the right way, so we'll have to abandon the path once morning comes."

"I'm going to punch Schlatt in the face next time I see him," Wilbur sighed. "Fucker still keeps monsters down here."

"To be fair, he had no idea that Tommy was here," Tubbo tried to reason. The boy was fond of Schlatt; he wouldn't have his horns if it weren't for the older god.

"Where  _ else _ would he be?" Wilbur asked.

"We scanned the entire worshipping world, so the entire world we could explore," Tubbo reasoned. "Well, I could have explored more, but you guys wouldn't let me."

"Yeah, 'cause you were a baby," Wilbur retorted. "And you're still not immortal. We aren't gonna let you run off somewhere we can't watch over you and risk you dying."

"But I could have prayed to one of you and allowed you to enter!" Tubbo tried to reason.

"It wouldn't be powerful enough, Tubbo," Techno groaned. "We've had this conversation how many times now?"

Tubbo sighed, slumping back on the log he was sitting on. "I know, I know. But it could work if I prayed to one of the more minor gods, like Sapnap!"

"Listen, Tubbo, we know you've wanted to find him and still harbor some resentment to the fact that you couldn't search earlier. Let's just end the argument here, get you some food, let you get some sleep, and then follow your compass to wherever it leads us. Sound good?" Wilbur asked.

"Yeah," Tubbo sighed after a moment of silence. "Yeah, it does."

* * *

Tubbo, in all honesty, was happier than he had been in a long time. The gods domain brought happiness, sure, but there was always something missing. A numbness always followed him around, no matter what he did. But that numbness was replaced by a feeling of exhilaration, a feeling of freedom and happiness. He smiled to himself as he stared at the compass, making a turn to follow where the needle went. 

He wondered if Tommy was following his compass on the other side.

"You seem happy," Wilbur commented, a slight smile on his lips as he glanced at the brown-haired boy. "Can you feel him?"

"Yeah," Tubbo breathed, a chuckle leaving his lips. "It's exhilarating, you know?"

"I do," Wilbur said with a smile. "You're not the only one with a bond."

"Though, we have silver bonds, not gold," Techno murmured. 

"You can still feel him, though, right?" Tubbo asked.

"For the first time in over fifteen years," Wilbur confirmed.

Techno grunted his agreement, glancing at the shortest of them. "How much longer can you sprint, do you think?"

"I'll have to stop for food in a bit, but I'll be okay for a little while," the demigod answered. Techno hummed in acknowledgment, sighing as he continued on the path that Tubbo was outlining for them. 

Tubbo glanced up at the sky, watching as birds flew through the sky. So carefree and happy, filling the surrounding area with their ebullient calls. He smiled and picked up his pace, glancing at his compass once again to ensure he was going the right way. He ran his thumb over the inscription on the top, smiling slightly at the slight warmth it provided. 

Wait, warmth?

_ The closer you are to him physically, the hotter it will grow.  _ Is that not what Quackity had told him when he was old enough to ask where the compass came from?

Tubbo shook himself from his thoughts with a sigh, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. It wasn't worth dwelling on; if it were true, that just meant that they really were getting closer. Which was a really,  _ really _ good thing.

Tubbo heard Wilbur humming some mindless tune behind him and smiled a little bit. He remembered the time he'd spend at Philza's castle when he was younger just to listen to Wilbur sing. His voice was soothing and had been a form of comfort for the boy since Tubbo was little. He guessed that the god of music and mentality had sensed him beginning to spiral and started humming as an indirect form of comfort. 

"We'll have to camp soon," Techno muttered as he looked up to the sky. "The sun will set soon."

"Tubbo, has your compass warmed up at all?" Wilbur asked. 

"Yeah," Tubbo confirmed, nodding his head. "It's not all that noticeable, but it's definitely warmer."

"That's good," Techno hummed. 

"We haven't run into much trouble yet," Wilbur muttered. "I wonder how long that will last..."

"Hopefully long enough to get Tommy and Tubbo back to the cloud," Techno said dryly.

"What about you two?" Tubbo asked, brows furrowed.

"We cannot die unless worship dies out," Wilbur reminded the boy. "You, on the other hand, have not ascended to godhood, and therefore can die by mortal means."

The group lapsed into silence after that. The sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky shades of orange and pink as the three set up camp in a mostly empty clearing. Tubbo had sat on a fallen log after setting up a fire and cooking some meat he had gotten off a cow earlier in the day, admiring the surrounding greenery. He perked up slightly when he saw a bee flitting around some wildflowers, smiling as he watched the insect do its thing. He glanced over at Wilbur and Techno, who were talking in hushed voices near the edge of the clearing. He frowned slightly but tore his attention away. If they wanted him to hear it, they would tell him, so he didn't listen in despite his curiosity.

Instead, he turned and grabbed his compass. His eyes widened slightly as the heat seeped into his hand; it was warmer than last time he had taken it out.

How far away was Tommy?

~~~~

Okay, so  _ maybe _ Tommy should have waited a little while before he ran off on his own. He should have gotten to know the terrain a bit better, or at least have gotten a map, for the gods sakes. But he had some idea of where he was going, at least, right? It didn't count as lost if you didn't even know where you were going, right?

As long as he followed the compass, he'd be fine. He hoped so, anyway.

The fact that the compass was getting gradually hotter did not help his case. At all. In fact, it made it even worse. He just hoped he wasn't walking right into the arms of death. That would be unfortunate, that's for sure.

He glanced up at the sky. He still had a few hours of daylight left, but he knew he should probably eat before he continued. So he found a fallen log, sitting on it and rummaging through his bag.

Once he had finished a bowl of beetroot stew, he began to take in his surroundings. He had long since left the previously-beaten path, he knew, so Tommy doubted he'd run into anyone. He hoped not; Vin was relatively well-known throughout the world, he knew, and he didn't know if the world knew about him. It was just safer to stay away, especially if it meant finding whatever was at the other end of his compass.

Staying away from punishment was another perk.

He stood back up, sighing as he began to walk again. He grabbed his compass from his pocket, frowning at how hot it had become. No matter what he did before, it would not heat up; even when he had thrown it into the fire and retrieved it, it hadn't gained any heat like a regular piece of iron would. But now it was heating up steadily the more he walked in the direction the needle pointed to. Was this some sort of magic? Had the compass been tampered with by a witch?

Or was this a gift from the so-called gods, the gods which the villagers would talk about when Vin wasn't around? They had referred to one as Dream if he remembered correctly. But that didn't make any sense; that was the name of Vin's persona. It was what he called himself when he wore the strange green hoodie and the smiley-face mask that covered most of his face. He had never understood it but had always been too afraid to ask. What if Vin found out and was angry? He didn't want that; he hated it when Vin was angry.

But the curiosity still nagged at him. Vin had always said believing in the gods was worthless and that the gods would never help someone like him. He had told the villagers not to worship the gods because he would protect them. But could he really do better than the gods?

Tommy continued to walk through the forest as he thought. He had found fables in the basement of the cabin he and Vin lived in, each telling stories of the gods. The boy remembered reading about Philza, the King of the Gods and the god of the sky. He recalled Wilbur, the god of music and mentality, and Technoblade, the god of blood and war. Schlatt and Quackity, the gods of life and death. George, the god of realities. Fundy and Niki, the gods of animals and food. Those were the ones he remembered, but he knew there were more.

Why did the thought of each of them bring such a strange sense of familiarity? He had read about them in fables when Vin was away, and even then, he only read a few. He didn't remember any of the stories that were associated with them, just remembering their existence. But why did the thought of them bring warmth, as if he was home? Why did their names roll off his tongue with the same familiarity as Vin's? Why did the names of some of them bring feelings of comfort and safety despite his lack of knowledge? 

Tommy looked down at his compass once again. It had gotten hotter in his hands, but it was a comforting warmth. He knew that he should have been burned by the intensity, and yet he wasn't. It felt safe, in a way, like a fire crackling in the hearth on a cold, snowy day. It brought a sense of security.

He stopped as he examined the compass for the first time. It was made of iron, but it glistened in a way that hinted it was enchanted. It didn't point north; he was facing southwest at the moment, and yet the needle still pointed forward. The glass had not broken, even with how reckless Tommy tended to be; he guessed that it was enchanted with a variant of the unbreaking spell. There weren't any dents or scratches anywhere on the compass, save for the strange engraving at the top.  _ Your Tubbo. _ What did that mean? Who was that? He knew it was pointing at someone; he wasn't sure how, but he did. But he had never figured out who it was, even as he scanned the list of names he could get his hands on. He had even studied the names of gods, and yet he never found anything about a Tubbo. It had always sparked curiosity in him, even when he was little, and he knew that he would not return home until he figured out who it was and why they were connected. 

And if that curiosity kills him, he would regret nothing. When he was younger, he had sworn to himself that someday Tommy would figure out his past and why he had the compass. He knew the time had come now, and he was glad it had.

As he glanced at the sky one more time, he noticed the dark clouds rolling in. He racked his memory as he tried to remember a prayer.

_ Philza, hear my prayer. _

~~~~

Phil had given up hope of hearing a prayer from Tommy nearly ten years ago. He had given up hope of hearing from him when Schlatt and Quackity had said that he wasn't among the living souls they could reach. The god had stopped hoping both internally and externally when Dream and George had reported that they couldn't find him anywhere in the world they ruled. He had accepted that his demigod was gone, even if it hadn't exactly added up.

But he was wrong to give up hope. Wilbur and Tubbo were right, as it turned out. It had taken more than fifteen years, but as he heard the little voice in the back of his head, his eyes widened.

_ Philza, hear my prayer. Clear the skies for my journey. _

He stood there, shock filling his body. The voice had grown, deepened, but that was to be expected; he was a mortal boy until he ascended with Tubbo, after all. But it was the same voice; it was the voice of his long-lost son. 

He got over his shock quickly, immediately clearing the skies in the area. He then slumped against the wall of the corridor, a shaky laugh leaving his lips. He was alive, and he knew the basics of how to pray. It was clear he wasn't very experienced; the prayer was short and uncertain, and they hadn't heard any other prayers from him before. But it was there. 

He walked through the castle, frowning at the absence of his other two sons. He brushed it off, assuming that the two of them had been called somewhere else, and exited his castle. He immediately flew to Dream and George's residence, knocking on the door.

George opened the door, an eyebrow raised as he looked at the god standing on the doorstep. "Yes?"

"I received a prayer from Tommy."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't update sooner; stuff went down irl this week that I had to deal with and so I didn't have much time to write.

Tubbo knew he shouldn't have been surprised when he got a message through his communicator from Schlatt. He was his official caretaker until he ascended into godhood, after all. Unfortunately, that didn't help the feeling of dread that filled his stomach when the  _ ping _ rang through the clearing.

"Who's that?" Wilbur asked from over his shoulder.

"Who do you think?" Tubbo asked dryly. "It's Schlatt."

"Oh, that can't be good," Wilbur chuckled. "Good luck with that."

"I'm ratting you two out," Tubbo said as he glanced at the messages.

** Schlatt ** :

_ Where are you? _

Tubbo bit his lip, unsure of what to say. He wasn't actually sure where he was in the world; how was he supposed to answer that?

** Tubbo: **

_ I'm not sure _

_ Wilbur and Techno are with me tho. _

He then pocketed his communicator, sighing as he heard another ping. He opted to ignore it, however, helping Techno and Wilbur pack up the campsite. 

After a few minutes, his communicator pinged again, though this time it was from Quackity. He sighed, pulling the device out and looking at the messages.

** Schlatt: **

_ Come home. Now. _

** Quackity: **

_ Keep going, kid; we know what you're doing. Phil just said he got a prayer from him. _

Tubbo's eyes widened as he read the message from Quackity, chuckling in disbelief. "He prayed to Phil..." he murmured, just loud enough to catch the attention of the other two.

"He what?" Wilbur yelled, turning around to stare at the demigod. "You aren't joking, are you?"

"Even Quackity never joked about Tommy," Tubbo said firmly. He looked up from his communicator, pocketing it and grabbing his compass. It was decidedly warmer than when he had touched it last. Was it possible Tommy was moving towards them?

"That's definitely good news," Techno muttered. "At the very least, it means he's alive and knows about some of the gods."

"I wonder what he knows," Tubbo murmured. "He hadn't prayed before, so I'm guessing he lived in one of the areas you guys couldn't access."

"I wonder how he knew about Phil if that's the case," Wilbur said. "Though he could have lived in one of the places that only went dark within the last thirty or so years."

Tubbo nodded, taking out his compass again. It was certainly getting warmer, but he wasn't sure how hot it would be before they finally ran into Tommy. He looked at the needle before looking back up with renewed vigor.

He was going to save Tommy and bring him home. That much he knew for sure.

"Slow down there, Tubbo," Techno warned. "We don't want you to exhaust yourself before nightfall."

"I'm not  _ that _ easily exhausted," Tubbo protested. "I'll have to eat, but I'll be able to make it through the day at that rate."

"He just doesn't want to keep up with you," Wilbur teased.

"Not true," Techno objected, his voice taking on a defensive tone. 

"If you're sure," Wilbur snickered.

Tubbo sighed, shaking his head slightly as they continued to banter. He just sped up, leaving them in his footsteps as his compass increased in temperature. He smiled as he wove his way through the trees, keeping his eyes on the compass in his hands. He needed to see him. He needed to get to Tommy, no matter the cost. He heard hurried footsteps behind him but ignored them; he knew it was likely Wilbur and Techno following him. His breath came out in pants, but it was invigorating. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, giving him a boost of speed as the compass got steadily warmer. It would have burned human skin, but he was just godly enough that it just felt safe.

It felt like Tommy, whatever that meant. He just knew it was true.

Tubbo finally stopped when the shadows began to get longer, and the sun was starting to sink in the sky. He looked around, seeing Techno and Wilbur walking in the distance, and sighed as he looked up to the sky. The sun was setting, painting the clouds various pastel shades. He hadn't realized that the forest was thinning out until now, but the shadows made it evident. Tubbos' lip quirked up slightly, and he looked around for a clearing large enough to set up camp for the night. 

"There you are."

Tubbo spun around, laughing a little bit as he saw Wilbur standing behind him with an eyebrow raised. "Sorry, I got a little bit carried away."

"We noticed," Techno commented dryly. "But we made good ground, at least. You hungry?"

"Yeah, a little," Tubbo admitted. Wordlessly, Techno handed him a few pieces of beef, and Tubbo thanked him with a smile.

"How hot is the compass now?" Wilbur asked when he was done eating.

"Fairly," Tubbo replied. "It would burn a mortal." 

"That's good," Techno grunted. "We'll probably find him tomorrow if he doesn't discover us first."

Tubbo smiled at that, but a bit of anxiety began to bubble in his chest despite the excitement. He had no memories of Tommy, only the stories that the others told. What was he like now? Would he like him? There were so many unknowns, and Tubbo had to admit that he wasn't entirely comfortable with that fact. But he kept the smile plastered to his face as Techno started a fire, and he stayed lost in his thoughts as he heard the soft sounds of the brothers' chatter fill the little clearing they had found.

He didn't remember falling asleep, and he wasn't even aware of it until he blinked his eyes open to the sun peeking over the horizon. He felt around for the compass, almost recoiling at how hot it had become. He smiled as he realized it, excitement filling his veins as he sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

Tommy was nearby.

He'd find him today, and he'd bring him home. 

Today was going to be a good day. 

_ Don't worry, Tommy, _ he thought with a smile.  _ We're almost there. _

~~~~

Tommy was starting to worry about how hot the compass was getting. There was no way something could be this fucking hot and not be magic. Or a bomb. It was more likely than he might want to believe that the compass was actually a bomb in disguise that was waiting to blow up when he got to a certain point. Or was pointing him to a bomb. He hoped not; he wanted a friend, not a pyromaniac who's been waiting to blow him up for fifteen years. But seriously, the heat radiating off the metal was fucking weird. He was really starting to believe that it was enchanted or otherwise magically tampered with, despite it being with him for as long as he could remember.

Tommy sighed, shaking his head. He could tell he was close and found himself longing to arrive at his destination more and more with each passing second. He didn't care what it would end up being; he just wanted to get there.

So, as the sun climbed higher in the sky and Tommy walked through the trees, he promised himself that he would find where he was going before the sun set. He didn't care if it killed him; he would satisfy his curiosity whether the world (the gods?) liked it or not.

Tommy sighed as he walked through the forest, admiring the scenery but wishing he knew where he was going. He was over the anticipation, just wanting to find out what was waiting for him at the end of the path. Nerves began to absorb him as his compass grew even hotter in his hand with each passing second, and he held his breath as he saw a clearing. There seemed to be people in it, and the needle was pointing right at them.

As he walked closer, he frowned. One of the people had what looked to be ram horns on the side of his head, and another looked as if he were some kind of pig hybrid. But the compass was hot in his hand, hot enough that if he dropped it on the ground, the foliage would likely catch fire. He bit his lip, unsure if he should call out to them or not. So, he simply decided to listen to the conversation.

"The compass is really hot, guys," the boy with ram horns said. "And the needle moved slightly. It's pointing that way now." 

Why was he pointing in Tommy's direction? And why did he have a compass that was hot? And oh, shit, why did the two others look right at him and then gasp?

The three people in the clearing stood stock still, as though in shock. Tommy felt paralyzed; he doubted he'd be able to run away from them. They looked powerful - more powerful than even Vin. So he just stared at them, blue eyes wide as he took a stance that would allow him to run should he need to. 

The beats of silence stretched on, each second feeling longer as the group in front of him slowly came to their senses. The one with horns fumbled slightly, pulling out what looked like a compass. It was glistening with what looked like the same enchantment as Tommy's. 

And when Tommy looked at his compass, he realized it was pointing right at the boy.

"Tommy?" he whispered after a moment, and Tommy stiffened. 

"That's my name, yeah," he replied, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. "You're... Tubbo?"

The boy let out something that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a cry before launching himself at Tommy and giving him a hug, nodding as he did. "Yeah, yeah, I'm Tubbo."

Tommy awkwardly wrapped his arms around him, unsure of what to do. It was clear that the people here knew him, or at least about him, even though he had no idea who they were. He bit his lip, unsure of what to do, as he kept his eyes to the ground, not looking at any of them.

"I'm guessing you don't remember us," the pig hybrid said. "You disappeared fifteen years ago, after all."

"I'm Wilbur," the last one said. "That one's Technoblade."

"Wait, but aren't those names of the gods?" Tommy choked out. "Why do you know me? I've only ever prayed to Philza, and even that was once. And it was yesterday, too."

"So you don't know," Wilbur sighed. "I suppose that's to be expected if you were raised in a dark area."

"What are you saying?" Tommy asked, eyes narrowing. 

"We are gods," Techno confirmed. "And you're a demigod."

Tommy stiffened, glancing between the three others in the clearing. What did they mean they were the gods? And what in the world was a demigod? 

"Your blood," Wilbur said. "Have you ever noticed gold flecks in it?"

"I mean, yeah," Tommy replied. "But Vin always said it was from some disease I got when I was little."

Techno and Wilbur shared a look, frowns on their faces. Tommy recognized that frown. That was an angry frown; what had he done wrong? 

"It doesn't matter for now," Tubbo said, seeming to feel the sudden tension in the air. "You're a demigod, like me. Oh, and like Ranboo, though you aren't bonded to him. Not yet, anyway; you'll probably form some sort of bond, even if it's only a bronze one."

Tommy nodded along like he had any idea what any of that meant.

"We should get going," Techno murmured. "We'll explain everything when we get back to L'Manburg."

"What's L'Manburg?" Tommy asked.

"The gods' domain," Tubbo replied. "Well, some of them. There are a few various sections of it, but we live in L'Manburg. Dream and George and those people technically live in the Dream SMP, but that's just because the mortals tend to worship us in separate ways. It's kinda weird, honestly."

Tommy nodded as Tubbo filled him in on the names of the gods and their roles. He was slightly confused as to why they all sounded so vaguely familiar but didn't comment; he was perfectly content to continue listening to Tubbo ramble on and on.

He felt safer than he had in years.


End file.
